Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Item RG193001 ~ Student Performance

A girl is swimming underwater in a pool. Her friend calls to her from outside of the pool. What happens to the matter that makes up the water when the sound of the friend’s voice travels through the water?

As the sound travels through the water, the matter moves in the direction of the sound and travels to the girl who is underwater.
As the sound travels through the water, the matter is displaced for a period of time but then returns to its original position after the sound passes.
As the sound travels through the water, the matter moves randomly in all different directions.
Nothing happens to the matter that makes up the water. Matter is not disturbed when sound travels through a liquid.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades			Gender		Primary Language
		n = 3004	4–5 n = 0	6–8 n = 1531	9–12 n = 1473	Male n = 1410	Female n = 1509	English n = 2664	Other n = 245
A.	As the sound travels through the water, the matter moves in the direction of the sound and travels to the girl who is underwater.	26%	N/A	29%	24%	25%	28%	27%	27%
B.	As the sound travels through the water, the matter is displaced for a period of time but then returns to its original position after the sound passes.	24%	N/A	23%	26%	25%	24%	24%	22%
C.	As the sound travels through the water, the matter moves randomly in all different directions.	29%	N/A	28%	30%	31%	27%	29%	30%
D.	Nothing happens to the matter that makes up the water. Matter is not disturbed when sound travels through a liquid.	20%	N/A	20%	20%	20%	21%	20%	21%

Science Assessment

Item RG193001: As sound travels through water, matter is displaced for a period of time but then returns to its original position after the sound passes.